A survey of mothers has revealed 75 per cent are in favour of mandatory head lice checks in schools, the remaining 25 per cent are either against (15%) or unsure (10%).
Commissioned by Ego Pharmaceuticals, makers of the MOOV Head Lice range, the survey also found that over two thirds (67%) of mums find dealing with head lice distressing and more than half of parents (55%) are confused when it comes to selecting an effective product.
Kerryn Greive PhD, Scientific Affairs Manager at Ego Pharmaceuticals, said,” Most parents only check for head lice during an outbreak but with mandatory and regular checks at school you can detect head lice early and potentially reduce the spread of lice infestations.”
When it comes to selecting the right treatment for head lice, Kerryn adds,” For a treatment to be effective it must be able to break the lice cycle. Look for head lice treatments that are TGA registered and contain clinical evidence that the product works on children.”
Kerryn continues that some synthetic or pesticide based products that were once highly effective can now be prone to resistance within the lice population, and that the process of ‘wet combing’ is time consuming and doesn’t deliver good cure rates.
“There’s definitely been a shift towards herbal or natural based treatments like our clinically proven MOOV Head Lice Solution which uses eucalyptus oil. As for wet combing, it can be used to detect lice but is not very effective as a treatment,” Kerryn said.
An earlier study into head lice by Newspoll in April 2009 found as many as one-in-two Australian school children (53%) have suffered at least one infestation, and that natural or herbal based products are the most effective treatments for head lice.
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About Ego
Australian-owned and operated, Ego Pharmaceuticals have been pioneers in skincare since their inception in 1953 and currently manufacture and market over 120 leading products such as QV, MOOV and SunSense, the Number 1 sun protection brand.
Known by pharmacists and dermatologists around the country, Ego’s reputation is one of continuous research and development, ensuring only the most effective possible skincare products reach the pharmacy shelf. Ego has become the largest Australian-owned pharmaceutical business specialising in the research, manufacture and marketing of high-quality skin care products.
